Display-rack.



F. W. GIBSON.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. I9i5.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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FRAEQ'CIS "W. GIBSON, 0F BQSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 H. D. BEACH COM- PAHY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented net. 11, acre.

Application filed October 7, 1915. Serial No. 54,869.

T 0 (till whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. GIBSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and Useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to display racks and particularly to a rack for exhibiting rows of canistered goods as, for example,

boxes of crackers, cakes or the like.

In devices of this character, it is highly desirable that the canisters shall be displayed with their hinged covers disposed in freely accessible relation so that access may be had to the contents of the canisters without removing the canisters from the supporting shelves of the rack and without liability of upsetting the containers or spilling the contents thereof. It is also desirable that the displayitself shall be pleasing in appearance and that the rack shall be constructed with a view of providing matter descriptive thereof, with the minimum amount of available floor space.

To the end therefore of providing a display rack in which the above indicated features will be present, I have devised my present invention. i

Q The construction and manner of using a display rack; of this invention will be more fully described in the specification which follows. In the drawings accompanying that specification, I have shown as an illustrative embodiment a forin of display rack which not only clearly discloses the prin ciples of my invention, but is in itself a rack which has proved satisfactory in use and Well adapted to the requirements of manufacture. Throughout specification and drawings, like reference numerals are oorrespondingly applied, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a display rack embodying my invention, and

"Fig. 2 is a vertlcal section therethrough.

The dis lay rack of the present invention consists of a pair of spaced side members 1,

which may be formed of any desirable material, and are preferably formed of some sheet material, the edges of which are turnedv as indicated at 2 in order to afiord a more finished appearance as well as to provide the requisite stifi'ness. The case is braced on the back by a right angled strip 3 extending transversely across the rack between the members 1 at the lower ends thereof. The

member 3 may be used as a support for articles in addition to its bracing function, Additional rigidity for the side members may be provided by any suitable braces as the diagonal strips 4 which brace the structure at the back.

The side members 1 of the rack are connected by a plurality of transversely disposed vertically spaced supportingelements. The supporting elements may be of any desired form, and are preferably simple shelves arranged in superimposed upwardly and outwardly obliquely extended relation as best shown in Fig. 2. Each shelf element consists of a support 5 for the bottom wall of a row of hinged cover cantainers 6, an upwardly and rearwardly extended wall 7 adapted-to back the rear wall of the containers-and adownwardly extended front wall 8 disposed to mask the container row next beneath. The edges of the walls 5, '2' and 8, may be turned as indicated to avoid sharp edges and to improve the appearance of the rack. The walls 8 and the side members 1 of the rack may bear any suitable advertising matter. The wall 8 of 'the'lowermost shelf is not turned but instead is extended downwardly to the bottom of the rack and secured to the side members, as

shown.

The containers 6 are therefore supported in spaced superimposed rows on the shelf elements. Each container row is arranged in upwardly inclined relation, as to position its hinged cover 9 in freely accessible posi- -tion facing the front open side of the rack.

Arranged at a suitable distance above each shelf element and extending transversely between the'side members 1 of the rack in parallelism to theshelf elements isa plurality of sleeved guide and bearing rods 10. The

rods lO-lie between two parallel planes, one

of which passes through the front edge of the next lower shelf and the other of whlch passes through the upturned flange 7 of sa1d shelf.- Each rod is disposed sufiiciently above the next lower shelf to allow the containers to be freely inserted and removed, but close enough to define the position of the containers and to prevent tipping thereof. In practice the tie rods are found to function most satisfactorily .when located slightly in rear of the plane which" passes vertically of the rack through the shelf 5 at its juncture with the 'fiange 7. So located, the tie rods overlie the top surface of the container its overhang or displacement relative to the shelf. The sleeves for said rods are indicated at 11. These sleeves de= fine, .with the shelf elements, opened end spaces or compartments into which the rows of containers are insertible by simple sliding movement. The sleeves ll bear against Y The rods 10 are providedat their outer ends beyond the side walls 1 of the rack with ornamental nuts 12, which are adapted to be set up thereon against said side members.

In using the display rack of the present invention, the rows of containers are slid into the spaces defined by the shelf elements and the sleeves 11, with their hinged covers 9 exposed beyond the front open face of the rack. In positioning the containers in this relation, the sleeves act to guide the containers into the shelf spaces. Where access to the contents of a container is desired, it is simply necessary to swing the hinged cover 9 thereof downwardly and outwardly as indicated by the dotted line showing of Fig. 2. The container is prevented from sliding from the shelf or from tipping upwardly sufliciently to spill its contents by the overhead bearing maintained on the top face of the container by theg'sleeves 11. When it is desired to remove a container in its entirety, as for the purpose ofrefilling or the like, the container is simply slid en-' tirely out of the space defined by a sleeve 11 and the shelf member immediately therebeneath. This sliding movement is .an upwardly directed movement until the rear Wall of the container is carried past the rod 11, whereupon the container is drawn out by direct horizontal sliding movement.

My rack therefore afiords not only a complete and efiective display and support for packaged goods of this character, but permits thecontainers to be disposed with their hinged covers accessibly arranged with relation to the front opening of the rack, so that access to the contents of the containers may be hadiwithout any movement whatever of the containers outwardly,and wherein liability of the containers tilting to slide 05 tees-nee members, a series of superposed rearwardly sloping shelves arranged between and rigidly connecting said side members and having upturned rear flanges substantially at right angles thereto, each shelf adapted to support a row of covered containers in upwardly and outwardly inclined relation and with their covers foremost, and tie rods connecting said side members and disposed transversely of the rack and lying between two parallel planes, one of which passes through the front edge of the shelf next below and the other of which passes through the upturned rear flange of said shelf, and said rodsdis posed in guiding and confining relation to the containers whereby to define the position of the containers and to prevent tipping of a container when its cover is displacedto permit access to the contents thereof.

2. A display rack comprising spaced side members, a vertical series of superposed hodshaped shelves arranged between and rigidly connecting said side members and adapted to support respective rows of hinged-covered containers with their hinge-covers foremost, tie rods disposed above said shelves 1 and connected to said side members and defining with said shelves an open ended receiving space for the containers, and sleeves fitted over said tie rods and adapted to bear on the rear, top portions of the containers to prevent tilting thereof. 3. A stock displaying and canister supporting device, comprising a series of superposed hod-shaped shelves, arranged horizontally and rigidly connected, for supporting respective rows of canisters with their hinged covers foremost, and guiding and supporting devices disposed relatively to the shelves for defining the position of and preventing the tipping of the canisters, and

adapted to bear upon the tops thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS W. GTE-SON. Witnesses:

Vroronm Lowmnv, Acnns V. QConnnrm. 

